Slicing knife



Sept. 13, 1966 H. J. STOLBACH 3,271,855

SLICING KNIFE Filed March 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. l. FIGZ;

INVENTOR. HEMQ) J. 67045466 OTTO ENE 75 p 13, 1966 H. J. STOLBACH 3,271,855

SLICING KNIFE Filed March 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.7.

FIG. 6.

INVENTOR. MFA RY J. 67015406 United States Patent 3,271,855 SLICING KNIFE Henry J. Stolbach, 176 E. 77th St, New York, N.Y. Filed Mar. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,405 Claims. {CL 30-283) The present invention relates generally to improvements in slicing devices and it relates particularly to an improved adjustable guide slicing knife.

The conventional adjustable guide slicing knife generally comprises a knife member including a handle and a slicing blade and a guide member in the form of an arm extending parallel to the slicing blade and supported at its trailing end by the knife handle in a manner which permits its transverse adjustment. The mechanisms heretofore employed and proposed for effecting the transverse adjustment of the guide arm were broadly of two types,

each of which possessed numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. In the first type of adjusting mechanism the guide arm was provided at its trailing end with a bracket which was freely transversely .slidable in a track formed in the handle member and was releasably locked in position by a screw member. While this mechanism was relatively simple afine adjustment was difiicult to achieve and each adjustment required the loosening and tightening of the locking screw, which procedure is awkward and frequently results in an improperly supported guide arm. In accordance with the second type of adjusting mechanism as described in United States Patent No. 3,091,854 granted June 4, 1963, to E. G. Mannerberg and assigned to me, a screw and follower are employed for effecting relative transverse movement of the guide arm. While a fine adjustment is available with such mechanism, the constructions of those heretofore proposed and their association with the knife proper left much to be desired. The adjusting mechanisms were complicated and bulky, and the mounting thereof inconvenient and .unstable with the results that the guide arm was not sufficiently rigidly supported and the assembly and disassembly of the guide and knife was bothersome and time consuming.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved slicing knife.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved knife having a slicing guide which may be easily finely adjusted.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide animproved adjustable guide slicing knife in which the guide assembly is simply removable from the knife for cleaning or to permit the use of the knife in the con-v ventional manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjustable guide slicing knife in which the guide element is selectively adjustable between positions in which it is rigidly locked against retraction and wherein it is permitted to swing in a limited are upon the application of a vertical force thereto.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjustable guide slicing knife of the above nature characterized by its versatility, simplicity, ruggedness and reliability.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a slicing knife embodying the present invention with the slicing guide illustrated in a non-rockable condition;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

Patented Sept. 1 3, 1966 FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 in FIGURE 2 with the slicing guide illustrated in a rockable condition and a raised position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 in FIGURE 6.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision ofan adjustable guide slicing knife comprising a handle member, a longitudinally extending slicing blade affixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle member, a longitudinally extending guide arm transversely spaced from and parallel to said slicing blade and terminating at its rear in a bracket section, a transversely extending screw supported by said bracket section, a follower member aflixed to said handle and engaging said screw, and means for relatively rotating said screw and follower whereby to transversely adjust said guide arm.

According to a preferred form of the present slicing knife the handle member includes a forward section having a transversely extending track along its bottom face and a vertical well communicating with the track. A first bracket member is provided with a lower transverse collar having a tapped axial bore formed therein and an upper bar slidably engaging the well and releasably and adjustably locked in position therein by a set screw engaging a tapped radial bore communicating with the well. A second bracket member is in the shape of a rectangular frame which registers with the handle track and has an elongated transverse slot formed therein. An adjusting screw provided with an end knob is journalled in the bracket frame and is disposed along the slot medial axis and engages the collar tapped bore. The guide arm projects forwardly of and is preferably formed integral with the bracket frame and is normally disposed slightly below and parallel to the slicing blade. A leaf spring has one end anchored to the bracket collar and its other end bearing on the underface of the bracket frame rear leg. In a modified form of the present knife the guide adjusting screw is non-rotatably supported by the bracket frame and the bracket collar rotatably supports an axial sleeve having a tapped bore which is engaged by the adjusting screw.

The axial sleeve is provided with a knob to facilitate the rotation thereof.

blade 12 projects forwardly thereof and is affixed thereto by a rearwardly directed shank 14 formed integral with the blade 12 and anchored in the handle 11 in any well known manner.

The handle member 11 includes a leading section 16 having formed thereon and extending for the full width thereof a track or guide defining transverse groove 17 of rectangular cross section and delineated by a flat base 18, a vertical front shoulder 19 and a rearwardly downwardly inclined rear shoulder 20. A transversely offset vertical well 21 of rectangular cross section is formed in the handle section 16 at the groove base 18 and is disposed along the medial axis of the groove 17. A tapped trans verse bore passes through the wall of the well 21 and is engaged by a lock screw 22 provided with an external head confronting a flat side face of the handle section 16 and having a finger piece 23 to facilitate the manipulation of the screw 22.

A first bracket member 24 depends from the underface of the handle section 16 and is separably and adjustably affixed thereto. The bracket member 24 includes a rectangular coupling bar which registers with the well 21 and is releasably locked in a preselected position therein by the screw 22 bearing on the side face of the bar 26. A transversely extending collar 27 is affixed to and is preferably integral with the lower end of the bar 26 and has a tapped axial bore formed therethrough.

Adjustably supported by the handle member 11 and coupled thereto by the bar 26 is a slicing guide assembly 28 of which the bracket member 24 forms a part and which includes a forwardly directed longitudinal slicing guide arm 29 which is formed of a relatively thin, preferably rigid light weight material such as aluminum or the like. The guide arm 29 is normally disposed below the level of the blade cutting edge 13 and has a flat inner face parallel to and adjustably transversely spaced from the confronting side face of the slicing blade 12. The guide arm 29 is of elongated triangular shape having a horizontal top edge 32 and terminating in a sharp forwardly directed point 33 located rearwardly of the leading end of the slicing blade 12.

Affixed to the trailing end of the guide arm 29 and preferably integrally formed therewith is a bracket block 34 in the shape of a rectangular frame defined by front and rear legs 36 and 37 respectively and inner and outer opposite end legs 38 and 39 respectively, the block 34- having a transversely extending slot 40 formed therein. Engaging the tapped axial bore in the collar 27 and registering with and medially disposed in the slot 40 is a transverse adjust-ing screw 41 journalled to the bracket end legs 38 and 39 and provided with cylindrical end sections engaging transversely aligned bores formed in the end legs 38 and 39. A knob 42 is formed at one end of the screw 41 and is disposed along the outer face of the bracket end leg 39 to permit the turning of the screw 41 and the screw is locked against axial movement in the bracket 34 by a split ring 43 engaging a corresponding groove formed in the outer end of the screw st-ub shank 44 projecting through the end leg 38 and abutting the outer face of the leg 38. A leaf spring 46 has an end thereof anchored to the underface of the collar 27 and has its opposite end bearing on the underface of the bracket leg 37 to resiliently urge the bracket 34 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4 of the drawings.

The bracket leg 37 projects above the level of legs 38 and 39 and has a fiat top face which slidably engages the groove base 18 when the bracket bar 26 is in its fully inserted position in the well 21 as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the trailing corner of the leg 37 registering with the trailing corner of the groove 17. The leading top face of the bracket leg 36 underlies the underface of the handle section 16 and is provided with an upstanding transverse rearwardly offset web 47 having a flat top face slidably engaging the forward part of the groove base 18 when the bracket bar 26 is fully'inserted, as aforesaid. In the above position of the bracket block 34, the guide arm upper edge 32 is substantially rigidly supported at slightly below the level of the blade cutting edge 13 and substantially parallel thereto.

In employing the knife described above, for achieving gua ged slices, it is used with the guide assembly attached as aforesaid and the knob 42 is turned to adjust the transverse spacing between the slicing blade 12 and the guide arm face 30. To this end, the underface of the bracket leg 37 may be provided with indicia which may cooperate with an edge of the handle section 16 to afford a measurement of the spacing between the slicing blade and guide arm. The slicing is then effected in the usual manner using the arm 29 to guide the slicing blade 12.

In many cases it is desirable that the guide arm 29 be I permitted to swing upwardly when it reaches an obstruction, such as, for example, a cutting board or other support surface. The knife 10 may be adjusted to this condition merely by loosening the lock screw 22, slightly withdrawing the bracket bar 26 from the well 21 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 and then tightening the lock screw 22 by means of the finger piece 23. The bracket 34 and the guide arm 29 are thus permitted to swing clockwise in a limited are against the influence of the spring 46, as seen in FIGURE 5, to a position of the guide arm shown by broken line in FIGURE 1. However, in the absence of any upward force acting on the guide arm 29, the spring 46 swings the bracket 34 to its retracted position with the guide arm upper edge 32 substantially parallel to the cutting edge 13. The knife It) may be used without the guide arm merely by loosening the lock screw 22 and separating the guide arm assembly 28 from the handle member 11.

In FIGURES 6 to 8 of the drawing there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention which differs from that first described primarily in the construction of the guide arm adjusting mechanism. Specifically the improved adjustable slicing knife 59 includes a handle member 51, a slicing blade 52 and a transversely adjustable guide arm assembly 53. The handle member 51 is provided with a front section 54 having formed in its underface a transversely extending track defining groove 56 delineated by a flat base surface 57 and downwardly diverging curved side faces 58.

A vertical well 59 of rectangular cross-section is formed in the handle section 54 and extends to the track surface 57 and is transversely offset from the blade 52. A first 1 65 and freely rotatable therein is a collar or bushing 66 provided with a tapped axial bore. The collar 66 is locked against axial movement in the sleeve 65 by a pcripheral flange 67 formed at one end thereof and a knurled manipulating wheel 68 formed at the other end thereof and abutting opposite ends of the sleeve 65. The wheel 68 facilitates the rotation of the collar 66 and a recess is formed in the groove base 57 to provide clearance for the wheel 68.

The guide arm assembly 53 comprises a rectangular frame 69 defining a second bracket and includes front and rear legs 70 and 71 respectively and side legs 72 which delineate a rectangular opening 73. A transverse screw 74 is rigidly supported by and between the side legs 72, being locked thereto in any suitable manner and being medially disposed in the opening 73. The screw 74 is engaged by and mates the collar 66 whereby rotation of the collar 66 by means of the wheel 68 effects the transverse adjustment of the screw 74 and the bracket frame 69. v

The outer faces of the frame front and rear legs 70 and 71 are cylindrical and confront and complement the track faces 58 to permit the rocking of the bracket member 69 about the axis of the screw 74.- The rear leg 71 is provided with a transversely extending raised section 76 normally disposed above the level of the front leg 70. A leaf spring 77 has one end anchored to the :underpart of the bracket sleeve 65 and has its free end bearing on the underface of the frame rear arm 71 to normally resiliently retract or swing the backet frame 69 to bring the top face of the leg section 76 into sliding abutment with the track surface 57, the top face of the frame leg 70 being spaced below the track surface 57 as seen in FIGURE 8 of the drawings. Mounted to and projecting forwardly of the bracket frame 69 is a slicing guide arm 78 which may be similar in configuration to the guide arm 29 previously described. When the bracket' frame 69 is in its spring retracted position, the guide arm 78 is disposed below and substantially parallel to the slicing blade 52. However, when suflicient upward 'force is applied to the guide arm 58, it and the bracket frame 69 swing against the influence of the spring 77 in a restricted are as limited by the frame leg 70 engaging the track surface 57 to a position illustrated by broken line in FIGURE 8.

The slicing knife 50 is employed and adjusted in the manner of the slicing knife 10 earlier described.

While there have been described and illustrated preand projecting forwardly of said handle, a longitudinally extending guide arm transversely spaced from and parallel to said slicing blade and terminating at its rear in a bracket section, a transversely extending screw member supported by said bracket section, an internally-threaded collar member mounted on said handle and engaging said screw member for movably mounting said bracket section on said handle, and means for rotating one of said members relative to the other member whereby to transversely adjust said guide arm.

2. An adjustable guide slicing knife comprising a handle, a longitudinally extending slicing blade afiixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle, a first bracket, releasable means immovably mounting said first bracket on said handle, said first bracket including a collar member having a tapped transversely extending bore formed therein, a second bracket, a transversely extending screw member supported by said second bracket and engaging said tapped bore for movably mounting said second bracket on said first bracket, a longitudinally extending guide arm affixed to and projecting forwardly of said second bracket and parallel to said slicing blade, and means for turning one of said members relative to the other member, whereby to transversely adjust said guide arm relative to said slicing blade.

3. An adjustably guide slicing knife comprising a handle having a transversely extending guide surface along a face thereof, a longitudinally extending slicing blade affixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle, a first bracket rigidly mounted on said handle and including a collar member having a tapped transversely extending bore formed therein, a second bracket having a bearing face transversely slidably engaging said guide surface, a transversely extending screw member supported by said second bracket and engaging said tapped bore, for movably mounting said second bracket on said first bracket, a longitudinally extending guide arm affixed to and projecting forwardly of said second bracket and parallel to said slicing blade, and means for turning one of said members relative to the other member whereby to transversely adjust said guide arm relative to said slicing blade.

4. An adjustable guide slicing knife comprising i a handle having a transversely extending guide surface along a face thereof and having formed therein a well perpendicular to said guide surface, a first bracket including a support bar registering with said well and a collar member having a tapped transversely extending bore formed therein, means for rele'asably locking said 6 support bar in registry with said well, a second bracket having a bearing face transversely engaging said guide surface, a transversely extending screw member supported by said second bracket and engaging said tapped bore, a longitudinally extending guide arm afi'ixed to and projecting forwardly of said second bracket and parallel ,to said slicing blade, and means for turning one of said members relative to the other member ,whereby to transversely adjust said guide arm relative to said slicing blade.

5. An adjustable guide slicing knife comprising a handle having a transversely extending guide surface along a face thereof, a longitudinally extending slicing blade affixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle, a first bracket mounted on said handle and including a collar member having a tapped transversely extending bore formed therein, a second bracket having a bearing face transversely slidably engaging said guide surface, a transversely extending screw member longitudinally offset relative to said bearing face and supported by said second bracket and engaging said tapped bore for movably mounting said second bracket on said first bracket, spring means rocking said second bracket relative to the first bracket to normally resiliently urge said bearing face into engagement with said guide surface, a longitudinally extending guide arm affixed to and projecting forwardly of said second bracket and parallel to said slicing blade, and means for turning one of said members relative to the other member whereby to transversely adjust said guide arm relative to said slicing blade.

6. An adjustable guide slicing knife, comprising a handle member, a longitudinally extending slicing blade aflixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle member, a first bracket member rigidly and immovably mounted on said handle member and including a rotatable collar having a tapped transversely extending bore formed therein, a knob afiixed to said collar and rotatable therewith a second bracket member, a transversely extending screw non-rotatably afiixed to said second bracket member and engaging said tapped bore for movably mounting said second bracket member on said first bracket member, and a longitudinally extending guide arm afiixed to and projecting forwardly of said second bracket member and parallel to said slicing blade, whereby rotation of said knob turns said collar relative to said non-rotatable screw to move said second bracket member relative to said first bracket member and transversely adjust said guide arm relative to said slicing blade.

7. An adjustable guide slicing knife, comprising a handle member, a longitudinally extending slicing blade affixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle member, a first bracket member rigidly and immovably mounted on said handle member and including a non-rotatable collar having a tapped transversely extending bore formed therein, a second bracket member, a rotatable transversely extending screw supported by said second bracket member and engaging said tapped bore for movably mounting said second bracket member on said first bracket member, a knob affixed to said screw and rotatable therewith, and a longitudinally extending guide arm affixed to and projecting forwardly of said second bracket member and parallel to said slicing blade, whereby rotation of said knob turns said screw relative to said nonrotatable collar to move said second bracket member relative to said first bracket member and transversely adjust said guide arm relative to said slicing blade.

8. An adjustable guide slicing knife comprising a handle member provided with a transversely extending guide track along a bottom face thereof and having formed therein in the proximity of said guide track a downwardly facing well and a transversely extending tapped first bore cnmmunicatingwith said well, a longitudinally extending slicing blade affixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle member, a first bracket member including a support bar engaging said well and a transversely extending collar provided with a tapped axial second bore, a screw engaging said first tapped bore and bearing on said support bar to releasabiy lock said first bracket to said handle member, a bracket block registering with said track and having a transverse slot formed therein, a transversely extending adjusting screw journalled to said bracket block and registering with said slot and engaging said second tapped bore, a knob affixed to and rotatable with said adjusting screw, and a longitudinally extending guide arm aflixed to and projecting forwardly of said bracket block and substan-tialy parallel to said slicing blade.

9. The slicing knife of claim 8 wherein said bracket block has longitudinally opposite bearing faces relative to said adjusting screw and confronting said track, one and both of said bearing f-aces selectively alternately engaging said track with the positioning of said support bar in said well in a relatively raise-d and lowered position, and a spring extending between said first bracket and said bracket block to resiliently bias said bracket block to a guide arm depressed position.

10. An adjustable guide slicing knife comprising a handle member provided with a transversely extending guide track along a bottom face thereof and having formed therein in the proximity of said guide track a downwardly facing well and a transversely extending tapped first bore communicating with said well, a longitudinally extending slicing blade affixed to and projecting forwardly of said handle member, a first bracket member including a support bar engaging said well, a collar supported by and journalled to said first bracket for rotation about a transverse axis and having a tapped axial second bore, a knob afiixed to and rotatable with said collar, a screw enga ging said first tapped bore and bearing on said support bar to releasably lock said first bracket to said handle member, a bracket block registering with said track and having a transverse slot formed therein and a transversely extending second screw aflixed to said bracket block and registering with said slot and engaging said second tapped bore, and a longitudinally extending guide arm aifixed to and projecting forwardly of said bracket block and substantially parallel to said slicing blade.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,478,046 8/ 1949 Higg-s 293 2,968,867 1/1961 Wolff 30283 X 3,091,854 6/1963 Mannenberg 30 283 3,110,964 11/ 1963 See kely 30-283 3,178,817 4/ 1965 Rubinstein 30293 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. JONES, JR., Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE GUIDE SLICING KNIFE COMPRISING A HANDLE, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLICING BLADE AFFIXED TO AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY OF SAID HANDLE, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GUIDE ARM TRANSVERSELY SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO SAID SLICING BLADE AND TERMINATING AT ITS REAR IN A BRACKET SECTION, A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SCREW MEMBER SUPPORTED BY SAID BRACKET SECTION, AN INTERNALLY-THREADED 